mom needs help!

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starlopez65
starlopez65 Posts: 3
in Getting Started
New and need to lose.

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  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Hi and welcome!

    To get started, read the Announcements at the top of the message board threads. There is great information in them for getting started. Start with this one: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1 and this one http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10097870/the-really-blunt-list-of-things-to-consider-when-losing-weight/p1

    Baby steps are key. Don't try to change your entire life overnight or you'll likely end up frustrated and overwhelmed. Start out by simply logging everything you eat. Every single thing. Logging everything makes it easier to see where you can make simple changes that have a big impact. For greater accuracy with calorie counts, weigh solid foods, and any liquids that have serving sizes in grams, using a kitchen scale and measure liquids that can't be weighed.

    Don't "play" with the numbers, underestimate calories eaten or overestimate calories burned in exercise. You'd only be cheating yourself.

    Start strength training as soon as possible. In my opinion it's more important than doing cardio because it is much easier to maintain the muscle you already have than to build new muscle later. When we lose weight it is a combination of water, fat and muscle. If you're maintaining muscle then more of your loss will be from fat! Additionally, if you are significantly overweight, your body has built up a lot of muscle mass to move around your extra weight. If you can keep that muscle through strength training while you lose weight you're going to look amazing when you've lost the fat over it.

    The measuring tape is a better tool than the bathroom scale for judging your progress. In addition to "Before" pictures, measure your chest, waist, hips, thighs and any other body part you want to track and start recording them in MFP now. When the scale isn't moving your body might still be shrinking especially if you're lifting weights.

    Get yourself into the mindset that you're making a lifestyle change and its not something that you will eventually finish. Time-based goals for weight loss often lead to perceived "failure". Keep in mind that weight loss is not linear and you will lose pounds faster at the beginning than at the end.
  • starlopez65
    starlopez65 Posts: 3
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    Thanks..I'm trying but I feel like I'm not eating the right stuff..need to boost my motablizum .. :o. Feel like I need more help then I thought .
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Food won't really boost your metabolism at least not specific kinds of foods. To help your body burn more calories use a combination of exercise and strength training.
  • montstrocity
    montstrocity Posts: 4
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    Hey starlopez65. I think I understand what you mean. There are certain foods that are healthier, cleaner, and are less likely to go straight to your thighs. Its good to track calories, but be especially wary of your fats and carbs. Try to avoid starchy carbs (pasta, white bread, baby potatoes, etc), but do not cut them out completely. Try quinoa or couscous instead. Same goes for your fats. You will find healthy fats, like in avocado and chicken, but try to avoid saturated and dense. Try fish and chicken instead of red meat, or zucchini chips instead of potato chips. Greek or natural yogurt over sour cream and over processed yogurts.

    Hope this helps.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
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    montstrocity wrote: »
    Hey starlopez65. I think I understand what you mean. There are certain foods that are healthier, cleaner, and are less likely to go straight to your thighs. Its good to track calories, but be especially wary of your fats and carbs. Try to avoid starchy carbs (pasta, white bread, baby potatoes, etc), but do not cut them out completely. Try quinoa or couscous instead. Same goes for your fats. You will find healthy fats, like in avocado and chicken, but try to avoid saturated and dense. Try fish and chicken instead of red meat, or zucchini chips instead of potato chips. Greek or natural yogurt over sour cream and over processed yogurts.

    Hope this helps.

    None of this. In order to lose weight, it's calories in vs. Calories out. For health and satiety, a balanced diet is advisable, cals in/cals out is what will get you weight loss results.

  • Silverstar721
    Silverstar721 Posts: 33 Member
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    I am new to this diet and I almost always have to remind myself that my way of eating took years to adopt. It's going to take a lot of time to change my habits. So Starlopez65 you will get a lot of help here and the most important thing is to stay healthy and eat healthier foods. Even if the weight doesn't fall off fast the increase of energy is worth it.
  • montstrocity
    montstrocity Posts: 4
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    Laurend224 wrote: »
    montstrocity wrote: »

    None of this. In order to lose weight, it's calories in vs. Calories out. For health and satiety, a balanced diet is advisable, cals in/cals out is what will get you weight loss results.

    Yeah, I mention tracking calories. But if you eat 1200 calories of cookies versus 1200 calories of fruits, veggies and lean meats you are not going to loose as quickly and you are more likely to crash diet.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    montstrocity wrote: »
    Laurend224 wrote: »
    montstrocity wrote: »

    None of this. In order to lose weight, it's calories in vs. Calories out. For health and satiety, a balanced diet is advisable, cals in/cals out is what will get you weight loss results.

    Yeah, I mention tracking calories. But if you eat 1200 calories of cookies versus 1200 calories of fruits, veggies and lean meats you are not going to loose as quickly and you are more likely to crash diet.
    that is incorrect. A calorie is a calorie for your body. You may feel more complete by eating healthier food, but your body will not differentiate between the calories in a cookie and the calories in something like lean meats for example.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
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    montstrocity wrote: »
    Laurend224 wrote: »
    montstrocity wrote: »

    None of this. In order to lose weight, it's calories in vs. Calories out. For health and satiety, a balanced diet is advisable, cals in/cals out is what will get you weight loss results.

    Yeah, I mention tracking calories. But if you eat 1200 calories of cookies versus 1200 calories of fruits, veggies and lean meats you are not going to loose as quickly and you are more likely to crash diet.

    Wrong. A calorie is a calorie. It's a unit of energy.....Notice where I mention for 'health and satiety'.......
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    montstrocity wrote: »
    Hey starlopez65. I think I understand what you mean. There are certain foods that are healthier, cleaner, and are less likely to go straight to your thighs. Its good to track calories, but be especially wary of your fats and carbs. Try to avoid starchy carbs (pasta, white bread, baby potatoes, etc), but do not cut them out completely. Try quinoa or couscous instead. Same goes for your fats. You will find healthy fats, like in avocado and chicken, but try to avoid saturated and dense. Try fish and chicken instead of red meat, or zucchini chips instead of potato chips. Greek or natural yogurt over sour cream and over processed yogurts.

    Hope this helps.

    Your intentions are good but most of this just isn't true. I like your idea of some substitutions that could be made, though.

    You might be happier, more satiated and certainly getting more good nutrition by following this advice but you won't lose weight faster or better by avoiding certain foods or macros and adding others. There is no food that goes straight to any part of your body because fat is stored where your genetics determines.

    A calorie is a calorie. All that matters is that you eat less of them than your body burns each day to lose weight.

    You can lose weight eating nothing but McDonald's french fries and Twinkies. You might be hungry all of the time and not getting the proper nutrition but you could still lose weight.

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